Is this the year Fred VanVleet adds “NBA All-Star” to his resume?

Toronto Raptors fans seem to think so. It’s been the talk of fans north of the border for much of this season.

That’s why when preliminary All-Star voting results were unveiled today, Raptors fans weren’t pleased.

With 108,529 votes, VanVleet ranks 10th among Eastern Conference guards — well back of former Raptors star DeMar DeRozan, who finished first with 1,487,598 votes.

The overall voting leaders are Stephen Curry (2.58M votes), Kevin Durant (2.36M), Giannis Antetokounmpo (2.15M), and LeBron James (2.02M).

Golden State's Stephen Curry and Brooklyn's Kevin Durant lead the Western and Eastern Conferences, respectively, in the first fan returns of NBA All-Star Voting presented by Tissot.

The next NBA All-Star fan voting update will be shared Thursday, Jan. 13. pic.twitter.com/B0kSITw4Sr

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) January 6, 2022

While VanVleet is by no means a frontrunner to start in the All-Star Game, he should be ranked higher.

In his sixth NBA season, VanVleet is posting career highs in average points (21.3), assists (6.7), rebounds (4.9), and minutes (37.5).

As for the players listed ahead of him, VanVleet is averaging more points than Lamelo Ball and Darius Garland. Derrick Rose and Tyler Herro aren’t even regular starters for their own teams, while Kyrie Irving has only appeared in one game this season.

“OK [Raptors] fans from across the world we cannot have this. Let’s get voting!!” Superfan Nav Bhatia said on Twitter.

Here’s a selection of Raptors fan reaction when they heard the news.

OK @Raptors fans from across the world we cannot have this. Let’s get voting!! @FredVanVleet #NBAAllStar

— Nav Bhatia Superfan (@superfan_nav) January 6, 2022

FVV DESERVES WAYYYY MORE

— Zion (@InThe6ix13) January 6, 2022

Oh my god why is Fred so low

— Sad_Raptors_Fan (18-17) (@Sad_Raptors_Fan) January 6, 2022

@FredVanVleet #NBAAllStar if Fred doesn’t make the Allstar game it’s an absolute travesty vote for Fred VanVleet!

— MLG_BEAVIS (@MLG_BEAVIS) January 6, 2022

#FredVanVleet #NBAAllStar
Dude should be ahead of Kyrie, Rose, Herro AND Garland

— AyAyRon Smith🟪⬛️(8-8)⬛️🟪 (@CoachAiree92) January 6, 2022

Bro kyrie played one game vanvleet is better

— Ryan (@SanayeiRyan) January 6, 2022

FVV is 10th!!! What a national outrage!!! https://t.co/KEshx4VBfg

— phil verret (@BasketballPhil) January 6, 2022

Fred VanVleet ends up 10th amongst guards in the first fan vote returns.

Gotta get Drake or Bieber or Trudeau to tweet it out #FredVanVleet #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/LUCu206B4J

— Esfandiar | Es (@JustEsBaraheni) January 6, 2022

Fan voting concludes on Saturday, January 22. Fans account for 50% of the vote for All-Star starters, with NBA players and media counting 25% each.

Fans can vote daily on Vote.NBA.com or on Twitter using #PlayerFirstNameLastName and #NBAAllStar.

No Raptors players were selected to the All-Star Game last year for the first time since 2013. VanVleet is looking to become the eighth player in Raptors history to earn an All-Star selection, which would put him in the company of Kyle Lowry (x6), Chris Bosh (x5), Vince Carter (x5), DeMar DeRozan (x4), Pascal Siakam, Kawhi Leonard, and Antonio Davis.

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